Fri we rushed through work, including a load of grosses that arrived in the mail about 12:45 and we wanted to leave at 2. We were leaving the lab at 1:45 when we received a text "running a little late, will be there at 2:30 or 3:00". 2:30 and 3:30 and 4:00 came and went... as did multiple attempts to call and text Philip. Getting pretty irritated but trying to accept African time. Philip finally called saying "i've had a terrible day". Apparantly his vehicle broke down while driving back from Nairobi. He had already asked someone else to drive us (who had been waiting for Philip since noon), but he has no vehicle. Somehow Philip scrounged up a vehicle for Paul to drive. He (Phiip) said Paul is "almost there". Paul finally arrived at sometime after 4.
It is a 2 hour drive if lucky to Lake Nakuru. Scenery is pretty however.
Paul drove as fast as possible on the crummy highway and through the busy streest of Nakuru, apologizing about scaring us, but wanting us to arrive for dinner.
We got to the gate of the park around 6:30. They are closed. After much discussion (I really don't know WHAT they are discussing that always takes so long). They agreed to give us a temporary (they being the gun toting gaurd and his supervisor, who I didn't think to photo) pass, with the condition we return at 8:00 to pay the fee. Finally arrived at the hotel at 7:30. Luckily dinner starts at 7:30. After a couple glasse of wine/beer we were feeling better. Ate dinner and collapsed into bed at 9 or so.
Next day during 7:15 breakfast get a phone call from Philip - "I'm working on a van to meet you at the gate"... "working on it???, does that mean we'll have to wait?!?!" " oh no, it'll be there". After a wait of about an hour, and much MORE heated negotiations. We finally started on the game drive. Rough terrain beat us up, but was more then compensated for by the beauty and wonder of Africa and it's animals.
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| Notice the blue but (or are they balls?) |
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| Well, the toilets..... |
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